Choosing a shell element

The Abaqus/Standard shell element library includes:

  • elements for three-dimensional shell geometries;

  • elements for axisymmetric geometries with axisymmetric deformation;

  • elements for axisymmetric geometries with general deformation that is symmetric about one plane;

  • elements for stress/displacement, heat transfer, and fully coupled temperature-displacement analysis;

  • general-purpose elements, as well as elements specifically suitable for the analysis of “thick” or “thin” shells;

  • general-purpose, three-dimensional, first-order elements that use reduced or full integration;

  • elements that account for finite membrane strain;

  • elements that use five degrees of freedom per node where possible, as well as elements that always use six degrees of freedom per node; and

  • continuum shell elements.

The Abaqus/Explicit shell element library includes:

  • general-purpose three-dimensional elements to model “thick” or “thin” shells that account for finite membrane strains;

  • small-strain elements;

  • fully coupled temperature-displacement analysis elements;

  • an element for axisymmetric geometries with axisymmetric deformation; and

  • continuum shell elements.

The following topics are discussed:

Related Topics
About shell elements
Three-dimensional conventional shell element library
Continuum shell element library
Axisymmetric shell element library
Axisymmetric shell elements with nonlinear, asymmetric deformation
In Other Guides
Creating homogeneous shell sections
Creating composite shell sections

ProductsAbaqus/StandardAbaqus/ExplicitAbaqus/CAE